Trailers for Books

by erica ~ January 29, 2009

Book publicity does wonders for an author - creating a buzz about a book before it hits the shelves.  But consumers now have another avenue to explore before actually shelling out their hard-earned cash to purchase a new book before it winds up on The New York Times Best Seller list.  

Publishers are now releasing trailer-like websites that include interviews, quizzes, photos, games, videos, and more, to create a buzz for books that are about to hit the shelves.

Websites for books are not really new, but as more and more authors and publishers are creating them, the question becomes one of ROI.  Sites can be expensive to design, but having one does not necessarily determine whether or not it will be a sales success, so it is a marketing risk.

According to the New York Times, the Codex Group, a research firm that monitors trends in book buying, found that 8% of book shoppers had visited author Web sites in a given week. Clearly, this latest trend is giving publishers another opportunity to expose their authors and their materials.

Brad Meltzer, who created Expanded Books, a company that produces and distributes book videos, under contract with the Microsoft Network, finds this kind of change risky:

“The publishing world is very resistant to change,” Meltzer said. “But there are always people - mostly the young and the hungry - who are trying new things. The days of just holing up and writing in solitude are gone. Today, you can’t be a successful writer without having a little Barnum in your bones.”

Personally, I think it’s a great idea for those who want to learn more about the book and the author before shelling out the cash - especially in today’s economy.

See three book website examples here:

- Jefferson Rabb for “The Da Vinci Code”

- Sloane Crosley for “I Was Told There’d Be Cake”

- Timothy Ferris for “The Four Hour Work Week”

Erica Berkovich is an Associate Account Executive at Mediashop PR.  She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Corporate Communications at Baruch.